Dakosy e-commerce customs software enters ground handling use at LEJ 

Today, Hamburg-based software company Dakosy announced that ground handling service provider PortGround GmbH, a subsidiary of Mitteldeutsche Flugahfen AG, is now leveraging its e-commerce customs software for its operations at Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ).  

With the new software, ZODIAK, PortGround GmbH seeks to simplify workflows for customs clearance through handling e-commerce shipments arriving at the airport through digital and automated processes. The software is approved for all ATLAS Customs (automated tariff and local customs clearance system) procedures at the airport and is integrated into LEJ’s in-house IT systems, according to DAKOSY. With this interface, the software is intended to enable automated customs information processing and triggering of customs procedures.  

In practice, PortGround GmBH sends the flight manifest data (FFM) for all expected shipments to the Dakosy customs software. This automatically extracts the relevant customs information from the manifests and triggers all pending Customs processes. For example, the first message triggered by the software is the ICS (Import Control System) declaration to the ICS IT platform, as required for all EU imports from third countries. For air cargo, this must take place at least four hours in advance of reaching the first airport within the EU. If the value of a shipment exceeds €22, then upon landing ZODIAK also triggers the summary declaration to Customs and automatically initiates Customs import duty processing.  

“The new Customs software expands our comprehensive logistics portfolio and supports us, especially in the steadily growing e-commerce business,” said Alexander König, managing director of PortGround GmbH. 

Moves to digitize and increase operational efficiency such as this will likely prove useful to airport stakeholders as LEJ prepares for future demand with its massive infrastructure expansion. LEJ also recently extended its strategic cooperation with Volga-Dnepr Group out of the airport, bolstering its development as a hub for freighter capacity.